What is a Didgeridoo and where do they come from? The Didgeridoo The didgeridoo is believed to be the worlds oldest wind instrument, dating back thousands of years. It originates as a musical instrument of the North Australian Aborigine. The didgeridoo is traditionally played accompanied with clap sticks and/or the clapping together of boomerangs in Corroborees (ceremonial dances). Players can also tap out rhythms on the side of the didgeridoo using fingers or sticks. A didgeridoo is traditionally made from one of many species of Eucalyptus branches or saplings. Species of Eucalyptus number in the hundreds but only about a dozen species are used for didgeridoo making. The Eucalyptus is naturally hollowed out by termites whose nests abound in the millions in Australia. It takes at least a year for the termites to hollow a tree out. Harvesting has to be timed so that the wall thickness of the instrument is not too thin or not too thick. It has to be "just right". Making for the perfect instrument!

The varying length of the wood that is sawed off and its thickness and shape will determine which key the instrument will be in. Shorter lengths yield higher pitches where as longer lengths yield lower pitches. Didgeridoos generally range in keys from a high "G" to a low "A". A common "C" didgeridoo will be two steps below middle "C" of a piano. The key of C is one of the easiest keys to learn how to play on the didgeridoo. To hear the different keys click here . Bark is usually stripped from the outside and the termites removed. A rim of beeswax can then be applied to reduce the diameter of a large opening down to more playable sized aperture. About an inch and a quarter, similar to a tuba sized mouthpiece. Wax also creates a good airtight seal for the mouth and makes it more comfortable to play. The instrument can then be decorated with ochre paintings that symbolize a tribes food and/or totems. A Story On How The Didgeridoo Came To Be... Three men were camped out on a cold night in the outback.

One of the men told another to put a log on the fire, because the fire was getting low and it was very cold. So, the other man turned and grabbed a log, which was awfully light to the touch, for it was hollow. As he went to drop it into the fire, he noticed the entire length was covered with termites. He did not know what to do, for he could not throw the branch into the fire, because it would kill the termites, and his friends were telling him to do so because it was so cold. So, he carefully removed all the termites from the outside of the log by scooping them into his hand, and he deposited them inside the hollow branch. Then he raised the branch to his lips and blew the termites into the air. The termites blown into the air became the stars, and the first didgeridoo was created.

Didgeridoo Facts, Didgeridoo History & Aboriginal Music Knowledgebase | Didgeridoo Breath Australia Didgeridoo Facts and Interesting Information Last Updated: 13/11/2013 Above: Sanshi explains the didgeridoo basics, What is a Didgeridoo and how to make the drone sound If you're interested in buying a didgeridoo, make sure you check out our Didgeridoo Buyers Guide video series. Didgeridoo Facts and Interesting Information 1. The Didgeridoo is a wind instrument thought to have originated in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. 2. Researchers have suggested it may be the world's oldest musical instrument, over 40,000 years old. 3. There is a little evidence of the didgeridoo being used as far south as the Alice Springs region of Australia, but traditionally never in the southern three quarters of the country. 4. It has been suggested that the Didgeridoo was an adaptation of traded instruments from India and/or Asia, this is possibly why it was mainly used by coastal tribes of the far North of Australia. 5.

Traditionally didgeridoos were made from eucalyptus tree trunks and limbs hollowed out, while still living, by termites, (a small insect like an ant but a relative of the cockroach) or from bamboo in the far north of Australia. 6. Traditionally the termite hollowed Didgeridoo was cut to an average length of 130 to 160cm and cleaned out with a stick or sapling. 7. Today didgeridoos are made from a large variety of materials such as glass, leather, hemp, ceramic, plastic, solid timbers carved out, logs drilled out, dried/hollowed cactus stems, aluminum and other metals and just about any material which can be formed into a hollow tube! 8. The didgeridoo was traditionally used as an accompaniment along with chants, singers and dancers, often in ceremonies. 9. Today the didgeridoo is heard in almost every style of music, rock, jazz, blues, pop, hip hop, electronic, techno, funk, punk, rap etc. There are truly no limits to the use of this awesome instrument. 10.

In a few aboriginal groups in certain ceremonies men only played the didgeridoo, but in many groups, outside of ceremony, men, women and children played it. 11. In the same way the guitar originating in Europe, is now owned, made and played by people across the world, the Australian didgeridoo is now owned, made and played by many people all around the globe. 12. In the same way guitars and some drums were originally shaped in the form of the female body and were for men to play only in those cultures, men in certain ceremonies often only used the Didgeridoo. Today it would be illegal (and ridiculous) in most countries to even suggest that the guitar, the drums or the Didgeridoo were not to be played anywhere in the world by one sex or another. 13. The word didgeridoo can be spelt many different ways, none of which are Aboriginal names for the instrument. The word "didgeridoo" was a western word given to the instrument around 100 years ago. For more info see 'The Word Didgeridoo'. Was this article helpful?

Didgeridoo Authenticity | Ididj Australia Didgeridoo Authenticity Introduction The overwhelming predominance of non-authentic didgeridoos in the global market, together with the widespread misrepresentation and mislabeling of instruments by non-Aboriginal craftsmen, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, is of major concern to iDIDJ Australia. Links in this section will bring you to accounts of the sacred origins of the didgeridoo, statements from a number of respected Aboriginal leaders, and an overview of trends in the didgeridoo industry. This promotes understanding of the different types of didgeridoos available. Examples of authentic instruments are shown as well as a variety of inauthentic instruments commonly found in retail shops.It is hoped this information would go some way towards protecting consumers from unethical retailers and unconscionable non-Indigenous didgeridoo makers. “We go along, making country… Going there, to where the white clouds are rising, our hips swaying… Step by step, we sing as we go, making the country… Shall we sit here? Shall we erect our shade here?” Translation of a sacred song from north-east Arnhem Land, Yolngu language group.

Where did the didgeridoo come from? How did it first come into this world? Who were the first people who made and played it? Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land, in Australia’s remote Northern Territory, are recognised as the traditional owners or custodians of the didgeridoo. To the Yolngu people, for instance, there is a body of knowledge relating to the origins of the instrument that stretch far back into the ‘Dreamtime’ – when the world was first created. In this part of the world there exists deep sacred knowledge that is closely guarded by elders and by those who are vested with the authority to protect and maintain the religious life of the people. Djalu Gurruwiwi , a senior member of the Galpu clan, is one such person. Djalu is fond of reminding didgeridoo players throughout the world of the special place the didgeridoo has in his culture. The didgeridoo is a totem, a symbol of identity and authority, and a musical instrument. In public ceremonies, the didgeridoo is played to accompany singing and the pattern of clapstick beats particular to each clan.

In some secret ceremonies, a different sort of didgeridoo is brought out… only initiated men may view this special instrument and its inner secrets are only known by the most senior elders vested with maintaining the law. Transgression of the law carries serious penalties including death by sorcery. When the Ancestral Beings created the land, animals, plants and all other life forms, they also laid down a set of rules and regulations so that human beings could live within a system of law. The didgeridoo and its origins are part of this law… in this sense, the didgeridoo and its associated mythologies are the foundation blocks for life itself because the didgeridoo and its inner manifestations have their roots in Creation Stories much like the Book of Genesis in the Bible. Djalu is fond of saying that a didgeridoo made by a traditional owner or custodian has spirit. The spirit is in the instrument itself, a genealogy dating back to the first didgeridoo. An instrument made by a non-Indigenous person, on the other hand, has no spirit but is merely a musical instrument like a trumpet or a trombone.

The same applies to didgeridoos made by Aboriginal people who do not have the instrument as part of their cultural heritage. DidgeridooBreath - YouTube DidgeridooBreath The next video is starting stop Didgeridoo Breath Australia - Take a look inside... 22,734 views 3 years ago Come take a look inside the Didgeridoo Breath store in Fremantle, Western Australia. We're the worlds biggest didgeridoo store & we ship worlwide too! Special thanks to our friends Photography Project for their video production skills - About Didgeridoo Breath: We are YouTube’s Largest Didgeridoo dedicated channel, made for didgeridoo players, performers and enthusiasts. We upload lessons, performances, interviews and much much more! We are also an Australian Didgeridoo Shop and Online Store, based in Fremantle, Western Australia. We stock a large selection of didgeridoos from around Australia and musical instruments/ accessories from around the world. We ship everything in our online store, to any country in the world, including yours! We are all passionate and knowledgeable didgeridoo players and are here for you.

If you love the didgeridoo, we want you to get involved, and join in on the conversation in the comments below. To join in on the Didge Breath happenings and events you follow us on: Didgeridoo Buyers Guide Play all Is it time for you to buy a Didgeridoo? How do you buy a Didgeridoo online? Do you need information to help you buy a Didgeridoo? Selecting and purchasing a didgeridoo can be a big decision. When you're in our shop at Didgeridoo Breath in Fremantle, Australia, you can work with us one-on-one and pickup, play, and feel the didgeridoo you're about to buy. When you're not near a shop, it's a little harder to know what type of didgeridoo you like and what all the different factors are when buying your didgeridoo. In the end we hope that all of the information on this website will help you explore, discover and experience more than what you came here for.

If you are looking for a Didgeridoo, we hope this Didgeridoo buying guide will assist you to make a better than our great Didgeridoo selection, be it from elsewhere or from us. 0:40 Play next Play now How to Play Didgeridoo Lessons Play all How To Play Didgeridoo Lessons from Didgeridoo Breath Australia. Check out our HowTo Play Didjeridoo Lessons Online where you'll learn the basics of didge playing right up to advanced techniques. For more How To Play Didgeridoo & Didgeridoo Lesson Resources head to our website: Play next Play now Play next Play now Play next Play now Didgeridoo Circular Breathing Lessons Play all Circular breathing is undoubtedly the most sought after didgeridoo technique. It’s what every beginner didgeridoo player wants to be able to do… NOW! The first half of these lessons are available completely free on Youtube. For the second half of the lesson set, If you're looking for the original circular breathing series you can find it at Visit to learn more about us!

**NOTE THIS IS OUR NEW DIDGERIDOO CIRCULAR BREATHING LESSON SET Some people think it is a mystical technique that you can be blessed with, others think that it is something that naturally comes after you have been playing for a long time. Neither of these are true. The fact is, circular breathing is a series of simple physical actions that anyone can learn. In these lessons, we break the circular breathing down into small steps. Be sure to practice each step until it’s easy, then move onto the next. This is the fastest way to learn the circular breathing technique. It might take an hour to get it… a day… or even a month. If you persist and follow our steps, you WILL be circular breathing! 0:54 Didgeridoo Beatboxing Lessons Play all Check it out! Our first ever guest presenter on Didgeridoo Dojo -- Nathan Kaye. Nathan is here to show you some advanced techniques on the didgeridoo. He has perfected the craft of beatboxing, not just with his mouth but using the didgeridoo as an additional tool to enhance the sound.

You can follow Nathan as he takes you through 11 beatboxing lessons as well as 3 creative rhythm timing lessons and 2 breathing exercises. Nathan has been performing and teaching workshops for a number of years and like Sanshi, has the uncanny ability to break down something complex like beatboxing into simple to follow steps. The first three lessons are available here on Youtube. Check out the rest of the lessons at 4:53 Your SEO optimized title Women and the Didgeridoo... Taboo? Facts dissolve the myth about women playing the didgeridoo A new book to be published by HarperCollins has a chapter on how to play the didgeridoo. It's an activity book for girls. That's cool, unless you're name is Mark Rose, an Australian academic, and you are bent on perpetuating a myth that girls or women should not play the instrument. Furthermore, Rose got himself so worked up while being interviewed by a reporter that he reversed the outcome of the more familiar hex. The popular conception was that if an aboriginal woman touched or played a didgeridoo she'd become pregnant. Rose advises that women would become infertile. That's a new one!

And not just aboriginal women, but all women everywhere that dare to defy the phony taboo. After the story was published, Rose conceded that his remarks were "ill-considered". But the damage and perpetuation of this myth had been done. So where and when did this interpolated rumor start? Having witnessed it myself I feel qualified to answer that... By the early 90s the didgeridoo was becoming popular at souvenir shops in Sydney and Melbourne. Inner city, mixed race "aborigines" would taunt female tourists with the myth to deter sales (because many art gallery and souvenir shop owners were non-aboriginal, seen profiting from aboriginal crafts). Far from didgeridoo country, these embittered men cultivated their own legend about the instrument based entirely on misinformation. In fact, didgeridoo master and lawman David Blanasi (Beswick) told me in 1999 that the whole "woman have too many baby" story was a "joke" based on the didgeridoo's size and shape. Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land never intended for the joke to be taken seriously.

A customer of mine was told by a half-caste fella in Melbourne not to play the didgeridoo because it was a phallic symbol. She quickly retorted, "I didn't realize it would be more acceptable for men to be playing phallic symbols with their mouths." That shut the perverted person up immediately. Another woman was hit in the face by a man in Western Australia for playing the didgeridoo. Yes, physical assault on a woman by a half-caste fella based on a rumor that began as a joke! You never hear stories like this coming from Arnhem Land (in red on the map below) which is the only place in Australia where the didgeridoo is used in traditional ceremony. The recent revelations of this truth has been forged over many years of communication with didgeridoo lawkeepers and embedded cultural authorities. There are myriad articles and statements by aboriginal men and women of high degree that contradict the myth, but none that back it up. I am disappointed that an educated adult man and a newspaper reporter consider such voodoo newsworthy in the 21st century. That said, many legends begin with some hint at truth.

Within traditional ceremony the didgeridoo is only played by men. The sound is used to accompany song and dance, and that's where the context of "men's business" regarding the instrument begins and ends. The myth in question was created and spread by (mostly) self-professed "cultural authorities" living far from Arnhem Land where the instrument has its roots and, more importantly, its lawkeepers. What began as misinformation evolved into a "curse" which fed the Western ideals of noble savages and their magic. It's unjustifiable for any person, aboriginal or not (like Rose) to literally invent a story about the didgeridoo that does not come from its place of origin. Pushing all the contention aside, one only needs to visit Buku Larrngay Mulka, an aboriginal art center in the heart of didgeridoo country. Many of the finest didgeridoos (called yidaki up there) are decorated by Yolngu women. I've been to Arnhem Land and I've put the question of this taboo to aboriginal didgeridoo masters like David Blanasi and Djalu Gurruwiwi, both lawmen of high degree.

According to these absolute authorities there is no law forbidding women to play the didgeridoo. The crafting, painting, and distribution of didgeridoos is a gift from the oldest living culture on the planet for everyone to enjoy, regardless of gender. Worst of all is how so many men and women from Australia's south and west still tell others that women are not allowed to play. And then there's the absolute ridiculousness of saying a woman will get pregnant or barren by touching one. None of that has any cultural relevance at all in didgeridoo country. It's a tall tale founded upon misinformation, not a rule. So, all you didgeridoo sisters, play to your heart's content with joy, and help share the truth. Barry Martin aboriginal sources in Arnhem Land From Aboriginal Lawkeepers!

For genuine and easily accessible information about women playing the didgeridoo (or yidaki), including several video testimonials by aboriginal lawkeepers, visit this link to an aboriginal owned website in Arnhem Land: Yirrkala.com The Didgeridoo, from Arnhem Land to Internet Perfect Beat Publications / Karl Keuenfeld This aims to clarify some misunderstandings of the role of didjeridoo in traditional Aboriginal culture, in particular the popular conception that it is taboo for women to play or even touch a didgeridoo. While it is true that in the traditional didgeridoo accompanied genres of Northern Australia, (e.g. Wangga and Bunggurl) women do not play in public ceremony, in these areas there appears to be few restrictions on women playing in an informal capacity. The area in which there are the strictest restrictions on women playing and touching the didgeridoo appears to be in the south east of Australia, where in fact didgeridoo has only recently been introduced.

My understanding of Aboriginal culture in Australia has been formed as an academic ethnomusicologist, through acquaintance with the ethnomusicological and anthropological literature as well as through personal contact, during classes and fieldwork, with the Aboriginal people in a number of communities in South Australia, the Northern Territory and New South Wales. It is true that traditionally women have not played the didgeridoo in ceremony. However let us review the evidence for Aboriginal women playing didgeridoo in informal situations. In discussions with women in the Belyuen community near Darwin in 1995. I was told that there was no prohibition on women playing and in fact several of the older women mentioned a women in the Daly River area who used to play the didgeridoo. In a discussion with men from Groote Eylandt, Numbulwar and Gunbalanya it was agreed that there was no explicit Dreaming Law that women should not play didgeridoo, it was more that women did not know how to. From Yirrkala, there are reports that while both boys and girls as young children play with toy instruments, within a few years, girls stop playing the instrument in public.

There are reports that women engage in preparation of didgeridoos for sale to tourists also playing instruments to test their usability. Reports of women playing the didgeridoo are especially common in the Kimberley and Gulf regions the Westerly and Easterly extremes of it's distribution in traditional music. The didgeridoo has only begun to be played in these areas this century where it accompanies genres originally deriving from Arnhem Land (Bunggurl) or the Daly region (Wangga, Lirrga and Gunborrg). The clamour of conflicting voices about the use of didgeridoo by women and by outsiders has drawn attention to the potential for international exploitation and appropriation of traditional music and other Aboriginal cultural property. In addition, the debate has drawn to international attention the fact that there are levels of the sacred and the secret in traditional Aboriginal beliefs, many of them restricted according to gender. Perhaps the didgeridoo in this case is functioning as a false front, standing in for other truly sacred and restricted according to Aboriginal ceremonial life that it can not be named in public.

In this way, the spiritualising of the didgeridoo not only panders to the commercial New Age niche, but also serves as a means of warning non-Aboriginal people to be wary of inquiring too closely into sacred matters. Excerpt from the book: Didjeridu Dreaming by Adrian Parker One commonly held misnomer is that non-Aboriginal women should not play the didgeridoo – that it is taboo to all women. The inhabitants of the Kakadu and Western Arnhem Land, the region where the instrument originated, maintain that it is perfectly O.K. for Western women to play. “It's a Culture thing. Balanda daluk (white women) are not Binninj (Aboriginal). They can play. Different culture.” From am interview with Alex Nganjmirra in 1996. Excerpt from the book: The Didjeridu, from Arnhem Land To The Internet Perfect Beat Publications / Karl Keuenfeld Reports of (Aboriginal) women playing didgeridoo are especially common in the Kimberleys and the Gulf regions, the westerly and easterly extremes of it's distribution in traditional music.

The didgeridoo has only begun to be played in these areas this (20th) century (Alice Moyle, 1974), where it accompanies genres originally derived from Arnhem Land (bunggurl) or the Daly region (wangga, lirrga and gunborrg). For the gulf area, Alice Moyle's recording Aboriginal Sound Instruments (1978), contains a track, recorded at Borroloola in the eastern Northern Territory in 1966, of Jemima Wimalu, a Mara woman from Roper River, playing very accomplished didgeridoo (track 1b side 2 – see notes and transcription in Moyle, 1978: 17 – 18, 48). Elizabeth Mackinlay, an ethnomusicologist working with women from the neighbouring Yantuwa group, reports women playing didgeridoo, adopted recently from Mara people, in both informal and public performances (personal communication, 1996). In Conclusion As the didgeridoo continues to gain popularity around the world it's important that the cultural information we share with others about it are based on fact, not fiction.

For instance, it's a fact that the didgeridoo can be dated as far back as 1,500 to 2,000 years. But how many times have you heard or read that the instrument is the oldest in the world dating back 40,000 years or more? Humbug. The aboriginal people have been in Australia that long, but their culture (including artefacts like the didgeridoo) have evolved over millennia. A whitefella "history" of the didgeridoo is being spun on the back of CD covers by individuals and record companies looking to sell you on the "ancient mystique of the noble savage". Let's not disseminate cultural information from the back of a CD. I would say that Wikipedia's content is much closer to reality. And getting the info as true as possible is one way we can all "pay forward" justice to the aboriginal culture in Australia that is sharing this wonderful instrument with us.

Barry Martin Home - You Didgeridoo You Didgeridoo THERE'S ALWAYS A PLACE TO DIDG WHERE EVER YOU ARE THERE'S ALWAYS A PLACE TO DIDG WHERE EVER YOU ARE THERE'S ALWAYS A PLACE TO DIDG DPVL - Didgeridoo pro video lessons We are Didg players & fans and we want to make this very special instrument played by more people around the world, we feel that there is a magical effect that happens when you play Didg because of the way you create unique sounds with conscious breathing, DPVL is a FREE program in SIMPLE language to learn how to play in an easy and fast way! Enjoy! Beginner Gautheir Aube – Interview Keep your mind open – at the beginning when you know nothing “your glass” is empty and you can fill it easily, when It starts to be half full, we say “Yes, I know this..

I know that…” that’s the exact moment when learning is stopped… Wax on Wax off Every once in awhile I hear people asking about beeswax mouthpiece, sometimes it’s asking if I have some wax for them and some ask what is better to buy, a didgeridoo with or without a wax mouthpiece, I hope this little post can shed some light on the topic. Kids and Didgs “Hi Kids, Check out what I brought for you today!” (Taking the Didg out of its case with a wide grin), “It’s a very, very special musical instrument that comes from a far, far away country called Australia; its name is funny got a funny name, it’s called “Didgeridoo”, or you can use the short… Didgeridoos | Guitar Center 1 Was: No one can say exactly how old the didgeridoo is, but indigenous Australians were making and playing this instrument around 1500 years ago. Its unique sound has kept it alive and well throughout the centuries, and today it can still be heard not only in Australian folk music but in all sorts of other styles—sometimes even as part of an orchestra.

Traditional didgeridoos are made by harvesting trees that have been hollowed out by termites, but modern materials and production techniques make it unnecessary to go to all that trouble. Most of the didgeridoos you'll find here are made from synthetic materials to make them more affordable and durable. There are a range of styles to provide appealing options for any tonal or aesthetic preference, from the beautiful natural wood pattern of the Toca Duro Didgeridoo to the bright, colorful decorations of the Schalloch instruments. The Didgeridoo Store models come with instructional CDs, storage bags and long-lasting rubber mouthpieces, which make them a great "first didge" for beginners. Finally, the greatest variety comes from percussion legends Meinl, with wooden and synthetic didgeridoos and a fiberglass artist series model with a long flared shape for warm, enduring tone. They also make a trombone-style didgeridoo, which is built with a slide system that actually allows you to change the instrument's pitch.

As well, there is the Meinl Travel Didgeridoo—any musician who's ever had to travel with a didge will appreciate this miniature version of the instrument, which uses a zigzag airway on the inside to extract big sound from a compact package. No matter which didgeridoo is right for you, this unforgettable instrument will make a big splash. Its distinctive sound makes a great addition to a wide variety of bands, and it's also a great hobby instrument as well as a decorative conversation starter to have around the house.

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[gc] sub category2"} Sign up for super savings to your inbox Aboriginal Art Culture and Tourism Australia 1.

Possibly the world's oldest musical instrument 2. A wind instrument originally found in Arnhem Land, Northern Australia. 3. Is made from limbs and tree trunks hollowed out by termites (insects). 4. Is cut to an average length of 1.3 metres and cleaned out with a stick. or hot coals. 5. Was used as an accompaniment to chants and songs. 6. Produces a low-pitch, resonant sound with complex rhythmic patterns. 7. In sure tribal groups only played by men but in most groups by men, women and children. 8. Traditional various forms at the didjeridoo where found in Central Australia around Alice Springs. 9. The Didgeridoo is the sound of Australia. 10.If the earth had a voice it would be the sound of the Didgeridoo. HISTORY OF THE WORD DIDGERIDOO Didgeridoo - Also didjeridu, didjiridu and didjerry. 1919 Huon Times (Franklin) 24 January 4/3 The nigger crew is making merry with the Diridgery doo and the eternal ya-ya-ya- ye-ye-ye cry.

1919 Smith's Weekly (Sydney) 5 April 15/1 The Northern Territory Aborigines have an infernal and allegedly musical instrument, composed of two feet of hollow bamboo. It produces but one sound - 'didjerry, didjerry, didjerry' and so on ad infinitum.. When a couple of niggers started grinding their infernal 'didjerry' half the hot night through, the blasphemous manager decided on revenge. 1925 M.TERRY Across Unknown Australia 190 The didjiri-du.. is a long hollow tube, often a tree root about 5 feet long, slightly curved at the lower end. The musician squats on the ground, resting his instrument on the earth. He fits his mouth into the straight or upper end and blows down it in a curious fashion. He produces an intermittent drone. ABORIGINAL NAMES Aboriginal names for the instruments as there are identifiable language groups. Some of its names, more especially those which suggest routes and directions of the spread of this aerophone within Australia, are given below. In T.B.

Wilson's Narrative of a Voyage Round the World (1835) there is a drawing of an Aboriginal man of Raffles Bay, Coburg Peninsula, playing the instrument. Several different observers at Raffles Bay described it as being of bamboo and about three feet long. Names obtained (obviously different spellings of the same Aboriginal word) were eboro, ebero and ebroo. WHERE DOES THE WORD DIDGERIDOO COME FROM? The fact that bamboo didjeridus were quite common among northerly groups in the Northern Territory during the last century is confirmed by the word 'bamboo' which is still used in the lingua franca by some Aborigines when referring to the instrument, though 'didjeridu' may be gaining ground. The suggestion here is that the first didjeridus were of bamboo; and that because of the availability of bamboo in the north-western region of the Northern Territory, the first didjeridu players may well have belonged to that region. Some observations on 'three very curious trumpets' made by R.Etheridge Jr. in 1893 are quoted for consideration in this context as they refer particularly to instruments of bamboo.

Etheridge writes that '[the trumpets] are made from bamboo lengths, the diaphragms having been removed, probably by dropping live coals down the tubes. The bamboo, I am informed by Mr Stockdale, grows about the Adelaide River over an area of about one hundred miles by fifty, and reaches to a height of eighty feet, Mr J.H. Maiden tells me there are two bamboos indigenous in Australia, Bambusa arnhemica and B.moreheadiana, the latter a climbing species and only one or two inches in diameter. WHAT ARE OTHER DIDGERIDOO NAMES? According to Prof Trevor Jones, (Monash University) there are at least 45 different synonyms for the didgeridoo. Some are bambu, bombo, kambu, pampuu, (may reflect didge origins from bamboo), garnbak, illpirra, martba, Jiragi, Yiraki, Yidaki, (seem close dialectically and which means "bamoo" although no longer commonly made from bamboo).

TRIBAL GROUP REGION NAME FOR DIDGERIDOO TRIBAL GROUP History of the Didgeridoo Yidaki History of the Didgeridoo Although some believe the Australian Aborigine has been using the didgeridoo for over 40,000 years, the oldest records of Aborigines playing the didgeridoo date back 2000 years in the form of old Northern Territory cave and rock paintings. In the west we have only been playing the didgeridoo for a maximum of 30 years and only in the last ten years or so have we been trying to play traditional Aboriginal style. A growing number of westerners are now discovering the beautiful rich harmonics and subtleties that come from playing West Arnhem Land or North East Arnhem Land style! Just a century ago the didgeridoo had a restricted distribution in Australia. Earlier researchers such as Elkin (1938) reported that the didgeridoo was 'only known in eastern Kimberley and the northern third of the Northern Territory'. With the introduction of missions, roads and infrastructure, the art of making the didgeridoo seemed to then spread across most parts of Australia.

Despite removing indigenous Aboriginals from their land, separating them, damaging their culture, impressing our beliefs on to them (and using violence in non-compliance); despite these our actions, a rich cultural heritage of our human past lives in North Arnhem Land and it is a priceless heirloom that we must do everything to protect. For in this time of social fragmentation in the west, we have much to remember about ourselves and to understand what worked well for different indigenous tribes, who co-existed and thrived for thousands of years before outside interference. In the 1930's to the 1940's Donald Thomson visited Arnhem Land. Donald Thomson was a professor of anthropology at the University of Melbourne and his work remains one of the most important anthropological studies on the Yolngu people and their culture. The large number of artefacts and other items of material culture he collected are now housed at the Melbourne Museum.

In NE Arnhem Land there is an unbroken tradition of crafting and playing the didgeridoo, the vast majority of Yolngu made Yidaki from NE Arnhem Land are made from 'Stringybark' however, sometimes 'Woolybutt' or 'Bloodwood' are used. The trees are naturally hollowed out by termites which burrow in to the ground, lay eggs and the larvae eat up the inside of the eucalyptus tree. An Aboriginal yidaki maker has a sense of the approriate tree which he then tests by removing a small piece of bark and hitting the tree with his finger or a tool to hear if the sound indicates a hollowness. An experienced Yolngu can tell from that sound, how hollow the tree is and where to make the initial cuts for the proposed yidaki. If the tree is not sufficiently hollowed the subject location is remembered and the tree left for another time. Such sensitivity to nature is vastly different from the non-indigenous approach where large sections of forestation are cleared without regard for the environment and readiness of any particular tree.

It is interesting to note that 99.9% of all didgeridoos and yidaki sold on the global market are not indigenously crafted and painted. In West Arnhem Land the didgeridoo is commonly referred to as the mago and was made famous from the 60's by David Blanasi (and some promotion by Rolf Harris). David Blanasi was an exceptional didjeridu player and mago maker who co-founded ' The White Cockatoo ' performing group. David Blanasi travelled and performed extensively throughout the world for 30 years and brought the mago to international prominence for the very first time. Djalu Gurruwiwi is the Custodian of the didgeridoo, a senior member of the Galpu clan in North Arnhem Land and an internationally acclaimed yidaki maker and player. Djalu Gurruwiwi reveals that a didgeridoo made by a traditional owner or custodian has spirit and that spirit is in the instrument itself! A yidaki, mago or didgeridoo made by a non-Indigenous person has no spirit and is merely a musical instrument.

Djalu, goes further and states the same lack of spirit is evident in didgeridoos made by Aboriginal people who don't have the instrument as part of their cultural heritage. Which translates to just because a craftsman is an Aboriginal Australian, it does not necessarily mean they have the right and cultural backing to make an indigenous didgeridoo. There are many other names for the didgeridoo, a fact dependant upon region and clan. In Groote Eylandt the didgeridoo is also called ngarrriralkpwina and in Mornington Island a djibolu. Didgeridoos are now made by different races of people and from various types of material including, hemp, bamboo, cactus, plastic, glass, clay, metal, etc,. The most important issue for the discerning didgeridoo buyer who seeks authenticity and wishes to participate in and support the rich cultural heritage of the 'didgeridoo,' is to buy from a source which guarantees instruments are made by an indigenous Australian Aborigine who has the instrument as part of their cultural heritage!

The British Medical Journal published a study in 2005, which found that practicing the didgeridoo helped reduce snoring as well as daytime sleepiness. The study concluded that using the didgeridoo for just 25 minutes a day helped people with sleep apnoea . The disorder causes the throat to close and breathing to stop, waking the patient, but the didgeridoo sessions helped by strengthening the airways. About 5% of the population has the syndrome, which can cause people to wake up regularly during the night, the team decided to investigate whether playing the Aboriginal didgeridoo wind instrument helped patients after hearing reports that it had solved some sleep-related problems."Our results are the first to show that training the upper airways significantly improves sleep related outcomes." University of Surrey sleep expert Neil Stanley said: "Exercising the airways in such a way is known to help people with this condition." Click here to see the sleep apnea movie and our 10% discount offer! Another good reason to keep up your practice!

Didgeridoo Players You Should Know (Top Ten) - Didge Project Didge Project Didgeridoo Players You Should Know (Top Ten) By tweet This is the first article in a 2-part series on The Didgeridoo Players You Should Know. Click here for Part II. This list of didgeridoo players is by no means complete but it is an overview of those who have most influenced me and the Didge Project community. Every person on this list has done a great deal to spread the awareness of the didgeridoo and Didge Project would not be what it is without their contributions. Without further ado we present Didgeridoo Players You Should Know: 1. Djalu Gurruwiwi Custodian of the yirdaki (didgeridoo) amongst the Yolngu people of Northern Australia, Djalu Gurruwiwi is perhaps the best known elder of the didgeridoo world. Djalu and his family are greatly responsible for bridging aboriginal culture with the western world. As didgeridoo maker for the first internationally touring aboriginal band, Yothu-Yindi, interest in Djalu’s instruments grew.

With the rise of internet communications, it became well known amongst didgeridoo players that a Djalu-made instrument is one of the finest instruments you can get. “The Dreamtime” documentary features footage from Garma Festival which includes Djalu leading a group into the outback to harvest didgeridoos from trees, crafting the instruments and learning to play in the traditional style: Check out a more complete biography of Djalu and Djalu’s official website 2. Ondrej Smeykal A one-man didgeridoo orchestra is perhaps the best way of describing the extraordinary music of Ondrej Smeykal. His highly original style of playing is the result of a life completely devoted to his instrument. For well over two decades and with ever increasing intensity, Ondrej has been developing and redefining his own unique approach to the didgeridoo. Each composition, or song, as he refers to it, is very different in style, ranging from break-beat and organic Didgeridoo techno, to trance, ambient and anything in between. In the last years Ondrej has shared and taught his contemporary Didgeridoo style and philosophy at festivals all around the world.

His tours have brought him regularly out of his homeland of Prague in the Czech Republic to Japan, Australia, Canada, USA, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Ukraine. Ondrej is known to experiment with materials to make didgeridoos with. He has been noted for his use of glass and metal instruments and has developed a series of crystal didgeridoos, which he created together with traditional Czech glass masters. This is one of my favorite didge videos ever: 3. Ganga Giri Australian born Ganga Giri followed a childhood dream of being one of the top didgeridoo players and now tours the world performing as the leader of his own band. Ganga creates a modern sound by mixing indigenous Australian music with funky rhythms and dance beats. Deeply inspired by the sacredness of Australia’s land and how that feeling can be expressed through the didgeridoo, he has become an ambassador for his country, offering a reflection of contemporary multicultural Australia to a world-wide audience. Visit Ganga Giri’s Official Website 4. David Hudson David Hudson’s life reflects his love and belief in Aboriginal culture and he is widely known as the Cultural Journeyman of Australia.

David comes from the Ewamin (oo-rah-min)/Western Yalangi (people of the north east coast of Australia) and has made a career as a didgeridoo player and performing artist. David has traveled extensively throughout Australia and the World, including Europe, Asia, Oceania and the USA as both a solo artist and with world renowned dance troupe, “Tjapukai”, which he co-founded with Greek composer Yanni. He promotes awareness of Aboriginal culture and tradition wherever he travels. This video shows David Hudson in many of his public appearances over a long career in the arts: 5. Mark Atkins Mark Atkins is an Australian Aboriginal musician known for his skill on the didgeridoo and is also a storyteller, songwriter, composer and painter. He descends from the Yamatji people of Western Australia. He has worked with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Hothouse Flowers, Philip Glass, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. In 2001 he collaborated with Wurundjeri elder Joy Murphy Wandin and composer Philip Glass in the concert work Voices, performed at the Melbourne Town Hall and New York’s Lincoln Center.

The composition was commissioned by the City of Melbourne to relaunch the Melbourne Town Hall Organ. This video exemplifies Mark’s storytelling, composition and didgeridoo talents: 6. Xavier Rudd One of Australia’s most prolific touring artists, Xavier Rudd has built a worldwide following by combining the didgeridoo with his expert guitar and percussion work in a full band setting. Equally talented as a singer and songwriter, Xavier has a number of popular songs in Australia and Canada and he is actively building a catalog of recordings, music videos and festival appearances. Check out his one-man-band action in this spectacular performance (around the 3 minute mark): Visit Xavier Rudd’s Official Website 7. William Thoren A man of many talents, William Thoren is a didgeridoo performer and craftsman best known for inventing the Multi Drone didgeridoo and pioneering it’s playing technique. This new breed of didgeridoo makes it possible to play an expanded dynamic range and opens up a new world of possibility for didgeridoo players to collaborate with western instruments. William runs wetdidgeridoo.com which includes instructional videos and information about the Multi Drone technique and other advanced contemporary didgeridoo techniques.

He tours extensively teaching workshops on didgeridoo and performing both as a solo artist and with the band Gorangutang. William is also a prolific photographer and traveled extensively to develop his “Didgeridoo World” photo gallery at . This video explains the Multi Drone technique and shows the instrument in action Visit William Thoren’s Official Site 8. Shibaten A self-proclaimed busker who has a prolific video catalog of performances around the world, Japan’s Shibaten has redefined what it means to be a traveling minstrel. Shibaten has been seen playing djembe, guitar, gongs, bells and many other world instruments simultaneously with the didgeridoo, during his live performances. His music ranges from deep meditative sound baths to high-energy get-the-crowd-dancing music. Watch and see what he’s like when he really gets going: Visit Shibaten’s Official Website 9. Zalem Delarbre French artist Zalem is one of my favorite didgeridoo players because he is equally talented at playing fast complex rhythms, beat-boxing and playing other unique styles.

Zalem began to play the didgeridoo in 2001 and first started with a wobble-based style of playing and progressively developed his own style with his rock and electro-rock influences. He has been a part of many successful collaborations including the band JMPZ (rock/electro/tribal), Wadhom (hang drum, violin and dance), Tribal Dance (acoustic trance from Israel), Vibration Visuelle (a duet with Bertox, magician/juggler), Zalyshar (duet with Yshar, tribal fusion dancer) and Milanga, an electro-ethnic band with sitar, heavy beats, singing and dance. In 2010 Zalem released his first solo didgeridoo album entirely acoustic. His constant research for didgeridoo possibilities led him to a new style which he calls “Didgstep”. This video exemplifies Zalem’s many talents: Visit Zalem’s Official Website 10. Stephen Kent Didgeridoo veteran Stephen Kent has lived all over the world and became a didgeridoo player when living in Australia and scoring music for Circus Oz.

He has since relocated to San Francisco, CA and is very active as a recording artist and performer with over twenty two album credits to his name. Stephen is a member of international touring group Baraka Moon , a mix of Sufi chant, trance grooves, didge and drums. Visit Stephen Kent’s Official Website Honorable Mentions I hope to write more on the many talented didge players who are out there. Until then, here are some more great players worth checking out: AJ Block is the director of Didge Project and is active as a didgeridoo teacher and performer. In addition to didgeridoo, AJ has spent years studying music traditions from all over the world including jazz (trombone and piano), western classical music, Indian Classical Music, guitar and world percussion. AJ has developed a number of programs for Didge Project including The ABCs of Didgeridoo, The Didgeridoo Skills Course, and Circular Breathing Mastery. As a performer AJ is the leader of the Didge Project Music Collective and a member of Dream Seed: A Shamanic Sound Journey .

AJ is a founding member of Sacred Arts Research Foundation , a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of sacred art traditions through education, ritual and study. As a student of spiritual teacher Maestro Manuel Rufino AJ is an active member of the Golden Drum community.

Question: The didgeridoo comes from which country
Answer: Australia